


The Day of Renewal

by sockablock



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon-adjacent, Fluff, Gen, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Plot, Spring Festivals, Team as Family, Time Loop, and Caduceus is the only one to make that saving throw, basically it's groundhog day, i REALLY play with that high WIS and low INT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 11:51:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18314750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sockablock/pseuds/sockablock
Summary: “What is the Renewal Festival, anyways?” Fjord asked, through a mouthful of potatoes. “Is it for some kind of god, or something?”“Nah,” said Beau. “It’s more of a seasonal thing. Happens at the start of spring. My parents always made a big deal about it, since it’s important for people who care about agriculture, or whatever.”“Can confirm,” Caleb reached for his mug. “It, and Harvest Close, are big days for farming towns.”“If it’s that important, then we should stay and celebrate!” Jester said, smacking her palm flat against the table. “Come on, what do you say? We need a break, and the decorations all look so pretty.”(or: the Mighty Nein end up celebrating the Renewal Festival in a small town, only for one of the members in particular to notice that things are not all as they seem...)





	The Day of Renewal

**Author's Note:**

> Featuring: the beginning of an adventure, a magical cube, lots of buttons, a day on the town

See a cart, rolling through the countryside as the sun crests low over a mountain-lined horizon.

See two figures, one tall and one not, helming the voyage with the reins in their hands, guiding their horses down a long-traveled path. See stacks of grain, heaps of fruit, bundles of spices and a lone barrel of honey-sweet mead, swaying with the lilt of the wheels of the wagon.

And for those listening, hear this:

“Stop it, _bitte_ , stop. I have to check this thing for magic.”

“But we’ve been carrying it around _all afternoon_! Nothing bad’s happened, yet!”

“ _Yet_ , Jester. Who knows? Perhaps it is activated by moonlight.”

“You know, he _does_ have a point.” This was a third voice, low and twangy. “I don’t want this thing to…to…I dunno, what if it summons a demon in the dead of night, or somethin’?”

“Oh, fuck, that would be _sick_.” This was a fourth speaker. “Just imagine, maybe it’s a portal to another dimension! Or maybe it’s, like, a dragon’s eyeball or something, or maybe a—"

“ _Ja_ , _ja,_ the possibilities are endless,” Caleb grumbled, cutting Beau off. “Now, would you all sit _still_? I need _space_ for this ritual, and Jester, your dog is in my lap.”

“That’s because he _loves_ you. Don’t you, Nuggy? Oh, yes you do, yes you—”

“Is everything alright back there?” Caduceus glanced over his shoulder. “You guys are gettin’ pretty rowdy, it’s scaring the horses.”

“It’s scaring _me_ ,” moaned Nott, who was sitting next to him with her crossbow loaded. “Caleb, do you know what it does, yet? Is it dangerous?”

“Ask me again in ten minutes,” he sighed back. “And nobody _talk_ to me anymore, _bitte._ You all are being insufferable.”

Beau rolled her eyes. “Gee, tell us what you really—”

“Be quiet.”

In response, she flicked him in the arm, but begrudgingly backed off when he cracked open his spellbook. The rest of the gang watched with expressions ranging from interest to apathy as Caleb placed a hand over the cube, closed his eyes, then made a slow gesture with his fingers and murmured a few soft words under his breath.

As he worked, the silver filigree lining the edges of the cube shone in the sunlight. Its faces, blackened to the point of deep obsidian, gave a faint glimmer as the spell took hold.

Ten minutes passed. The wagon kept rolling, some clouds drifted overhead.

Then Caleb leaned back. The glow behind his eyes dimmed. His brow furrowed.

“Well?” Jester demanded. “What is it? What kind of magic?”

Fjord raised a hand. “Are we lyin’ to the Gentleman about _this_ one too?”

But Caleb just continued to frown. He blinked twice at the object.

“Hang…hang on,” he said eventually. “Just…give me eleven more minutes.”

This time, he put both hands on the object. His muttering was much more hurried.

They observed this with increased levels of anticipation. They conferred among themselves.

“I bet it’s some secret magic that he doesn’t want to share,” said Beau. “I bet he’s gonna keep it _all_ for himself.”

“No _way_ ,” said Nott immediately. “Caleb’s gotten so much better about sharing, you know that.”

“I just hope it isn’t like those spooky yellow eyes again,” Jester sighed. “Nobody let Fjord put that in his stomach.”

“Hey! Jes, this isn’t even an _orb_.”

“I bet it would hurt,” Caduceus said, from up front. “I mean, spheres, they probably went down smooth, right? But a cube has sharp edges.”

“Maybe it’s some kind of projectile,” Beau volunteered. “Shit, maybe I should try throwing—”

And then Caleb resurfaced. The light faded from his eyes.

His friends stared intently at him.

“ _Well_?” Jester demanded again. “Good or bad?”

Caleb slowly shook his head. He picked up the cube and handed it over.

“Neither,” he said.

“Neither?” Beau watched Jester examine the object. “Come on, _elaborate_. What does _that_ mean?”

“It means,” Caleb sighed, gently closing his spellbook, “it means that our newest acquisition has no good _or_ bad magic. It has _no_ magic. It is mundane as mundane can be.”

His friends went silent for a moment.

Then:

“ _Seriously_?” Beau shouted. “We fought a _war golem_ for _that_?”

\--------------------------------------

This was an hour later.

“I mean, it could have been worse,” said Fjord, as their wagon rolled on through peaceful fields. “None of us died, and it wasn’t _that_ bad.”

“It was _pretty_ bad!” Nott protested. “It threw me into a wall!”

“That builds character. I’m sure it’ll make you a better person in the long run.”

“Oh, fuck _you,_ try having all your ribs broken at once! It’s not very fun, I’ll tell you tha—”

“I agree with Beau on this,” said Jester, cutting them off. “I thought we’d get some kind of treasure, or something.”

“Well, the cube certainly is _valuable_ ,” said Caleb, turning it over critically in his hands. “Do not get me wrong, there. I cannot even begin to determine what it is made of. It, along with that golem, likely date back to the Age of Arcanum, which means they at least have deep historical significance.”

“Too bad the books in the lab were burnt,” said Beau. She had moved to the edge of the cart and closed her eyes in some semblance of rest. Dusk was rapidly approaching; they were looking for a place to spend the night.

“It is a shame,” Caleb agreed with a sigh. “But, at least, we are being paid for this.”

“How much longer ‘til Zadash, anyways?” Fjord asked. “Days? Weeks?”

“Probably a couple days,” Caleb guessed. “We emerged from the chamber farther south than we entered.”

“ _I’m_ just excited to be aboveground again,” said Jester. “It’s nice to feel the _wind_ in my hair.”

“It won’t be nice if we can’t find somewhere safe to sleep,” Nott muttered. “Somewhere our tents won’t get blown away.”

“Actually,” Caduceus rumbled, “actually, we might not have to worry about tents, tonight. Look at that.”

They all glanced up and followed his outstretched arm out over the horizon. In the distance, tiny but growing closer, was the telltale silhouette of curved rooftops and curling smoke. A village. Nothing near a major metropolis, but at least big enough to house a decent tavern.

“Perfect!” Jester grinned. “Giddy-up, horsies, I want a _bed_ to sleep in tonight!”

Their pace quickened at the prospect of a night spent indoors. Caduceus steered their horses on with expert precision, and soon they passed by the last of the fields and entered the main road leading into town.

It _was_ a relatively large settlement, as promised. Ramshackle, but impressive in its own right.

What they hadn’t expected, was this:

Dozens upon dozens of people roamed the streets, flooding the main square even at this late an hour. Grown-ups, children, elderly citizens, all, seemed to be doing something important to the buildings, and it only took a few more seconds of confusion for the gang to realize that they were putting up decorations. Flitting back and forth in the dusk, darting here and there and everywhere to hang streamers off lamp-posts, ribbons off rooftops, wreaths of early-blooming flowers on every door. Merchant’s carts promising activity in the morning lined the sides of the roads, and the sweet smells of lavender, of daffodils, of crocuses, serenaded their senses as the Mighty Nein approached.

It looked like this village was gearing up for a celebration. The Nein exchanged curious glances, and Fjord shrugged.

“Here,” he said, “hang on. I’ll ask.”

He carefully leaned out of the illusory wagon-load and draped himself over the edge. Quickly, he caught the attention of a villager holding up on end of a streamer.

“Excuse me, miss?” he called. “What’s going on, here? Is there a party coming, or something?”

The woman, a half-elf in her late thirties, maybe early forties, glanced up and instantly smiled.

“Of course there’s a party!” she called back. “Tomorrow’s the Renewal Festival! Are you new around here?”

Behind him came a few grunts of realization. Fjord gave the woman a sheepish grin. “Is it that obvious?” he asked. “We’re from out of town.”

She laughed softly and nodded. “Well then, mister, welcome to Feenstowe. I hope you consider staying awhile! It’s not often we get strangers, especially not strangers as polite as you.”

“Thank you kindly, miss,” Fjord chuckled. “Perhaps we’ll see each other around.”

She waved at him cheerfully as their cart pressed on, Caduceus driving the horses forward. As Fjord leaned back into the body of the wagon, Beau smacked him on the shoulder.

“Dude, she was totally flirting with you,” she said. “How is your game _that_ strong?”

“ _What_?” His cheeks instantly flushed a deeper shade of green. “I—w- _what_?”

Nott leaned in closer to Jester, raised her palm to cover her mouth.

“Don’t be jealous,” she whispered. “I’m sure that half-elf has nothing on you.”

Jester’s lips curved into a faint frown. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she mumbled. Then she looked up and waved her hands around, saying loudly, “Where are we now? Any closer to an inn?”

“I would certainly like to stop soon,” Caleb added. “I want to get another look at the cube, preferably somewhere stationary, and indoors.”

“Well, good news,” Caduceus nodded. “I see a tavern up ahead.”

Carefully, he wove their cart past a group of bustling last-minute decorators, towards a tall, two-story wooden building that towered over some of the more simple homes and stores around them. It had a little balcony up around the top floor, and a sign weathered outside the front, was painted with the fading motif of some tulips. There were more streamers set up around the tavern’s porch, and a wreath of flowers hung over the door.

“The Sudden Tulip,” Beauregard read as they dismounted. “That’s a weird name for a pub.”

“I think it’s kind of pretty,” Nott volunteered. “Maybe they forgot that spring was coming.”

Caduceus finished handing their cart off to a stable-hand, then wiped his hands against his sleeves. He looked at the group expectantly.

“Well?” he asked. “Shall we go inside?”

 --------------------------------------

Fjord and Beau took to the task of arranging dinner and bargaining for rooms as the rest of the gang claimed the largest table and annexed a handful of chairs for good measure. Nugget immediately fell asleep under Nott’s chair, and the rest of the gang was looking almost as exhausted. The promise of rest that didn’t include the woods or the floor of an abandoned dungeon seemed almost like too good a dream. And once the food arrived and drinks were ordered, they tucked into their dinner and began to discuss what they would do next.

“What _is_ the Renewal Festival, anyways?” Fjord asked, through a mouthful of potatoes. “Is it for some kind of god, or something?”

“Nah,” said Beau. “It’s more of a seasonal thing. Happens at the start of spring. My parents always made a big deal about it, since it’s important for people who care about agriculture, or whatever.”

“Can confirm,” Caleb reached for his mug. “It, and Harvest Close, are big days for farming towns.”

“Did your village throw a huge party too?” Nott asked. “Felderwin used to go _all_ out.”

“It has been some time,” Caleb took a small sip, “but yes. We did.”

“If it’s that important, then we should stay and celebrate!” Jester said, smacking her palm flat against the table. “Come on, what do you say? We need a break, and the decorations all look _so_ pretty.”

“I don’t see why not,” Caduceus rumbled. “Especially if it’s a festival for nature.”

Caleb looked hesitant. “We have a job to do, though,” he pointed out. “It could be dangerous to keep the Gentleman waiting. And the sooner we hand this cube off, the better.”

“We aren’t gonna try to keep it?” Fjord asked. “I thought keepin’ shapes was basically our M.O.”

“That’s keeping _in_ shape,” Beauregard said. “And taking names. Also, kicking ass.”

“ _I_ think we should stay,” Jester said again. “How often do we go to parties? When was the last time we got to _relax_?”

“And aren’t we ahead of schedule?” Caduceus added. “Don’t we still have a week and a half to go?”

Caleb sighed. “Yes, yes, but—”

Nott put her fork down.

“The Renewal Festival used to be one of the most wonderful days of the year,” she sighed. “I haven’t gotten to celebrate, since…yeah. Since I died.”

The table went quiet, after that. A second later, Caleb put his head in his hands, and groaned.

“Fine, fine, okay,” he muttered. “One extra day cannot hurt.”

“ _Hell_ yeah!” Jester threw herself over the table and gave Nott a high five. “Oh man, oh man, I can’t wait! Do you think there will be food? Do you think there will be games? Oh, _man_ , this is going to be amazing!”

“If it’s anything like the parties we had in Kamordah,” Beau grinned, “then _fuck_ yeah.”

“We should get a good night’s rest and wake up early,” Fjord suggested, finishing the last of his sausages. “I think we could all use some sleep, as is.”

“I want to take another look at the cube.” Caleb turned to Jester. “Can I borrow the haversack tonight?”

“Sure thing,” she said cheerfully. “Don’t make us explode, or anything.”

“No promises.”

“Speaking of rest, though,” Beau said, clearing her throat, “there _does_ gotta be some shuffling, tonight. There were only two rooms available for rent, ‘cause so many people are in town for the festival. Who’s sleeping where?”

Jester piped up immediately. “We should stay together,” she said, munching on a pastry.

“Sure,” said Beau. “Fjord, you too?”

Fjord’s face instantly flushed a dark green, and he hastily cleared his throat. “How about…how about the guys room together, and you gals can take the other one? It’s…easier, that way.”

“It _has_ been a while since we’ve had a ladies’ night,” Nott grinned. “And didn’t you get another novel for us to read?”

Beau instantly perked up. “Shit, yeah, right,” she said excitedly. “It’s called _The Song of the Wilds_ , and right on the cover you can see the female lead’s—”

Fjord shot out of his seat, sending his chair skidding back and his empty mug clattering against the tabletop.

“Good night!” he yelped, spinning around and making a b-line for the stairs. “See you all in the morning, bright and early!”

They watched him march away and smack his head against the low ceiling as he headed up. He took a moment to swear, then rub his scalp, then his silhouette vanished into the quiet darkness above.

“You think she’s cold?” Caduceus asked after a while. “She’s hardly wearing anything on her shoulders.”

“I am more concerned about the other uncovered bits,” Caleb said pointedly. “The, ah…more sensitive areas.”

They all considered this for a moment. Jester poked the image on the cover.

“You should put that book in a brown paper bag,” Nott said. “Just in case there are children around.”

\--------------------------------------

Caduceus was the last to file into their room, having taken a moment alone to step out into the night and quietly, peacefully, admire the stars. When he returned, it was to the sight of Fjord already passed out on the floor-mat and drooling all over his chin. Caleb, however, was awake and sitting on the bed, his eyes closed tight in concentration. The small black cube lay on the mattress before him.

It was glowing with a soft blue light. Caduceus leaned against the doorframe. He waited until the spell was over.

“Any changes?” he asked, when Caleb’s gaze re-focused. “Did the moonlight do anything to it?”

Caleb sighed and picked the cube up, one last time. “Nothing,” he said. “Not even a _trace_ of magic, not even the smallest smidge. It appears that whatever this thing is, it has zero arcane significance. Which I admit, is rather disappointing.”

“At least that means it’s safe to carry around,” Caduceus said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “Now you can enjoy the festival without worrying about it at all.”

“I think a part of me will always be worried,” Caleb answered dryly, “but I suppose you are right. We should rest, then, if we are to keep up with the others tomorrow.”

Caduceus chuckled, and finished untying the laces of his boots.

“Good idea,” he said. “Our friends always get into all sorts of trouble.”

\--------------------------------------

“Nott,” Jester mumbled, through sleepy eyes, “Nott, what are you doing, still awake?”

These were the small hours that bridged midnight and rising dawn. Nott, framed in the moonlight through the window, turned around at the foot of the bed. Her eyes shone with an amber gleam.

“I’m just waiting,” she murmured back reassuringly. “Don’t worry. Go back to sleep.”

Jester rubbed her face and yawned. “Waiting for what? Tomorrow comes faster when you are sleeping.”

Nott gave her friend a gentle pat on the leg. “If you really want to know, I’m waiting to make sure that Fjord’s completely asleep. I’m going to go play a prank on him. It’s my most devious idea yet.”

Another head poked up out of the gloom.

“I heard ‘devious,’” Beau whispered drowsily. “Whassup?”

Nott grinned. Her teeth were like polished razors.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “You’ll see tomorrow morning. Go on, go back to sleep.”

The two girls exchanged puzzled, barely-conscious glances. And then, as one, they shrugged, and collapsed back onto the bed.

Left alone in the midnight hours, Nott the Brave continued to wait.

\--------------------------------------

Caduceus was the first person to venture downstairs the next morning, trailed closely behind by Jester and Beau, with Nugget, tail wagging, at their heels. The puppy was, as always, bursting with energy, but Jester and Beau’s elated expressions suggested that they might have been even more excited than him.

They took up the table closest to the bar, letting the smell of cooking food—eggs, bacon, the lilting note of berry jam—drift gently above their heads. Sunlight through the windows cast a warm glow into the tavern, and they could already hear the sounds of burbling chatter, pattering feet, cheery laughter leaking in from outside.

The festival must have already started. Caduceus wasn’t entirely sure what to expect; though, to be fair, he rarely ever was.

“Man, I’m actually pretty stoked for this,” Beau grinned, draping herself over the back of her chair. “I’ve never gotten to celebrate like this before, not without my parents breathing down my neck.”

“Do you think there will be animals?” Jester asked, giving Nugget a pat on the head. “Like baby piglets and fluffy cows and nice goats, and things?”

“I don’t see why not,” Caduceus rumbled. “They deserve to have some fun too, right?”

“Maybe we’ll get to _eat_ them,” Beau grinned, curling her fingers into the shape of claws. “They’d better watch out, I haven’t had anything but biscuits and jerky for a _week_.”

“Beau!” Jester smacked her friend’s hands away. “Don’t _say_ that! Don’t be mean!”

“Do not worry,” Caleb had come down from the stairs and was now sliding into the chair across beside them. His hair was a fiery mess, collar askew, a gentle sort of sleep still fuzzy in his eyes. “If they are under threat, we can stage a prison break.”

“We do have some practice with that,” Caduceus nodded.  “We’re almost a band of outlaws, sometimes.”

Jester licked her palm and tried to smooth down Caleb’s hair. “Outlaws or not, you should fix yourself up better. It’s a celebration day!”

“Apologies,” Caleb mumbled drowsily. “At least I do not smell, _ja_?”

“Any more than usual,” Beau grunted. Then she glanced over her shoulder, and added, “Want me to go check up on food? I want to eat _fast_ , so we can get out there and _party_.”

“I think it should almost be done,” Caduceus said, “but if you want—”

From out of nowhere came a sound like metal rain against the ceiling. All of them instantly glanced up in alarm, and were met with a furious cry. This was followed by a terrible _thud_ , then maddened, stomping feet, then the tap of frantic, skittering claws, and then Nott the Brave herself emerged at the top of the stairs, and practically flew down. She stuck the landing with a somersault, then dashed forwards and cleared the tavern floor and before any of them could even blink, she had launched herself behind Caleb’s chair and buried her face into his coat.

Beau said, “What the f—”

Fjord barreled down the steps, hands glowing electric green, yellow eyes narrowed, pupils thin.

“What did you do?!” he screamed, coming to a halt just short of their table. “What the—Nott, what the _fuck_?!”

As he tried to reach around a very startled Caleb to grab Nott and presumably blast her with eldritch fire, the rest of the gang stared at him, wide-eyed, completely baffled by what it was that they saw.

All across his skin, stuck to his face and his arms and legs, even to the tops of his feet, were dozens upon dozens of little round discs. Some were made of metal, and some gleamed with the sun, others were wooden and still more could have been stone, and there was no missing the fact that across Fjord’s entire body, he had been completely, utterly, coated in—

“ _Buttons_!” Beau shrieked, rocking her chair back. “Oh my—oh my _gods_ , you didn’t—”

“Nott!” Jester gasped between desperate, manic laughter. “Nott, Nott, what did you—”

“You little _menace_!” Fjord shouted, lunging over Caleb and succeeding in knocking the wizard half out of his chair. “You…you…you _varmint_! What the _hell_?”

Nott managed to duck under the table and reappear at Caduceus’s side.

“You deserved it!” she cried, over her friends’ laughter and Nugget barking up a storm. “You’re a bastard, and I’m just having some fun!”

Fjord threw his button-y hands onto the table, and for a moment the two of them did a little dance of dodging and faking which way they would turn.

Beau reached up and tried to pull a button off Fjord’s chin.

“This is actually impressive,” she snickered. “How’d you get it to stick so well?”

“Mostly using molasses,” Caleb volunteered. “Though also with a bit of crushed licorice, and bat shit to really make it—”

“Bat _what_?!” Fjord whirled around on Caleb. The buttons gleamed in the sunlight. “You were _in_ on this? Bat…bat _what_?”

“Shit,” Beau repeated, shaking her head in wonder. “That’s _beautiful_.”

“It’s _not_!”

“I thought you knew what she was doing,” Caduceus rumbled, and then watched Nott dive behind Jester for cover. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I was _asleep_!” Fjord spluttered. “I _couldn’t_!”

Caduceus looked shocked by this answer. “You didn’t wake up?”

“She covered your entire body with buttons,” Caleb added. “Even I awoke, and it was spectacular to watch.”

Fjord glowered at them both. “I’m never rooming with either of you again,” he said. “Not if you won’t protect me from monsters.”

Nott peered around from her hiding spot and stuck her tongue out. “ _You’re_ the monster,” she said. “I would _never_ do this to someone nice.”

Jester reached over the table to pat Fjord on the shoulder. “ _Don’t_ worry,” she said cheerfully. “I’m pretty strong. Let’s see if we can get these off you.”

She got up and, begrudgingly, Fjord sat down and began to allow her to try and pry the buttons off. It took a little while, and a lot of brute strength and careful maneuvering to not injure him in the process, but with Beau’s help the two of them managed to remove most of the ones on his face by the time the kitchen door swung open and the smell of breakfast intensified.

The barkeep, a stout gnomish man called Orwen, emerged from the back, bearing steaming plates of hot, delicious food. He made his way to a few of the other customers first, who had been watching the Mighty Nein’s shenanigans with fascination. Eventually, he arrived at their table, and paused.

He stared.

He watched Jester remove another button and add it to a growing pile on the table.

“Your, ah, your half-orc friend,” he managed, after a few seconds of stunned silence. “Is he…he alright?”

“Right as rain!” Nott piped up immediately. “We’re adjusting his costume.”

“Yeah,” Fjord said glumly. “I’m a button-monster.”

Caleb’s lips quirked upwards. “Not a monster, more…more a spirit of good humor.”

Orwen finished setting the rest of their plates down onto the table, and Jester gave him a wink.

“Don’t worry,” she promised. “We won’t leave behind a mess.”

“Feel free to drop a couple off at the counter,” he nodded, torn between amusement and horror. “You never know when you need an extra button.”

“Or two,” Caleb added. “Or three, or four, or five hundred.”

Orwen gave a laugh and bowed his head. Then he turned around and headed back to the kitchen, leaving the Nein to finish eating their breakfast and to prevent a finally-free Fjord from killing Nott.

\--------------------------------------

When they finally emerged from the depths of the tavern, it was to a scene of rural celebratory bliss.

At this hour, the sun was shining brightly in the sky, and the entire town had burst forth with a new life. The streamers and banners and spiraling ribbons from before fluttered in the wind like a melody of pastel hues, as the sweet scent of early spring flowers wafted through the air. Carts and tents lined the main market square, filled with game booths and craftsmen’s stalls and merchants selling freshly-baked goods, trays sporting brightly-colored spring candy, honeyed fruits, cakes made from seeds and dandelion wine, all to the tune of cheery music being played by bards. A few stray petals blew in with the breeze, and dozens upon dozens of farm folk and villagers milled about in the crowd.

Every once in a while, children would run by holding pinwheels and miniature paper kites in the shapes of butterflies.

Beau was the first to turn and face the group. There was a smile across her face and a gleam in her eye.

“So?” she asked, practically vibrating with excitement. “Come on, where to first?”

\--------------------------------------

They spent a good couple of hours wandering through the stalls, the highlights of the morning including Caleb annihilating a memory-based card game, Beau spending 20 gold trying to win a crocheted owl, Caduceus purchasing some flowers from a little girl, Jester obliterating Fjord at arm-wrestling, Jester leading the group on a dress-buying tangent, Nugget momentarily escaping, the gang having to wrangle him off an angry merchant’s roof, followed by Jester resuming her mission by purchasing a shining yellow sundress. At some point, Fjord had also bought himself a bunch of candy, and Nott had slipped away to steal back Beau’s gold. And then, as the sun hit its peak in the sky, the Nein felt their stomachs starting to rumble and decided to begin the search for lunch.

Caduceus stood off to the side as his friends worked, leaning against the wall of a nearby shop and watching his them negotiate for food in the square. He had spent almost the entire morning in a state of detached bliss, distracted after buying his bundle of spring blooms. He was fiddling with a few of their stems now, trying to delicately loop some crocuses together.

A few seconds later, Jester broke from the crowd. She skipped over towards him and tugged gently on his arm.

“Fjord and Beau have the food!” she announced. “The people running the shop gave it to us in a really cute basket, apparently having picnics in the meadow is a part of the festival. Isn’t that just adorable?”

“It sounds lovely,” Caduceus agreed, tucking the flowers back into his pouch. “Are we joining them, now?”

Jester giggled. “Of course! Come on, come on, Caleb and Nott went ahead to find a spot.”

She carefully guided him through the crowd, which thinned out as they moved farther away from the main square. This town must have been larger than Caduceus first thought; he wasn’t one for numbers, but it looked like there were over a hundred excited partygoers milling about the scene.

Soon the cobbled street below melted into a beaten path, then to grass, and then they arrived at the edge of a wide, lush meadow. It was sandwiched between two of the town’s fields, and was one of the tracts of land currently out of rotation for the year’s harvest. Today it was being used as a picnic-space, families and couples and friends alike all sprawled over blankets and enjoying an outdoor meal.

Jester raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, then theatrically scanned over the crowd for her friends. It looked like she was having a bit of trouble, but Caduceus could see how determined she was, so he just silently waited for her to spot them.

“Jes!” came Beau’s voice. “Jes, we’re over here!”

Jester’s gaze snapped towards the source of the noise, and she excitedly waved back at their friends. “Coming!” she called, and then tugged again on Cad’s arm. “Come on, I found them!”

“I hope they got enough food for seven,” Caduceus said. “Something tells me we should make extra room.”

“Extra room?” she echoed. “What do you mean? Who else is coming?”

“Her, right?” Cad said, and then pointed off towards the side.

Sitting by herself in the shade of a tree bordering one of the fields was a very large, very familiar woman, lounging next to a massive greatsword that gleamed from down in the grass.

Jester gave a squeal of delight. “Yasha!” she shouted. “Yasha, what are _you_ doing here?!”

\--------------------------------------

“It’s just crazy how we keep running into you _everywhere_ ,” Beau remarked, through a mouthful of ham. “I mean, every time we lose you, we find you in just the craziest places.”

“Like a bathhouse,” said Fjord.

“Or a tavern in Nicodranas,” added Caleb.

“What’ve you been up to these last couple months?” asked Nott. “We haven’t seen you since the war ended.”

“I had some business to take care of,” said Yasha. “A few things I had to do.” She took a bite of honeyed bread. “But I think I should be alright, for now, to join up with you all.”

“Good!” declared Jester, trying to swing her arm around Yasha but coming just shy of the woman’s broad shoulders. “We _missed_ you.”

“She’s right,” Caduceus rumbled. “Good to see you’re doing fine.”

“Much better now,” Yasha said softly. “Especially now that I have found you all.”

Beau made a sort of strangled sound, and Fjord thumped her back until she stopped choking.

“ _Willkommen zurück_ ,” Caleb chuckled. “Just in time for festivities, eh?”

“Definitely,” Yasha nodded. “This is like the Harvest Close, again.”

“But even better!” Jester grinned. “Because _this_ time, we’re just here to have fun!”

\--------------------------------------

After lunch, they resumed their roaming through the village streets. Caduceus would have been the first to admit that he wasn’t actually paying much attention, especially since he was still busy with his project. Not that it mattered all that much, since his friends were happy and that had really been his major goal all along. He was perfectly content to let them drag him around, only resurfacing every once in a while to stop and admire the pretty decorations, or to close his eyes and take in the scent of spring. At some point in the day, he heard cheery music in the air, and at some point, as noon drew late, they wandered past the main square, towards a creek on the other side of town. He wasn’t even really sure of how much time had actually passed, and he barely even knew—or cared—where they’d gone, until he was suddenly snapped back to reality by the sharp sensation of a fist catching his chin.

A rush of pain, then—

“Fuck, _fuck_ , holy shit, sorry!”

His vision eventually cleared, and he blinked a couple of times.

He rubbed his forehead. He glanced up.

“I didn’t mean it,” Beau added frantically, reaching out with her hands to help, and then seeming to think better of it. “I wasn’t looking.”

“I, ah, I don’t think I was, either,” Caduceus rubbed his chin. “What was the occasion?”

“You weren’t watching?” Fjord chuckled. There was a gleam of amusement behind his concerned eyes. “Beau’s duck won.”

“Her…duck?”

Jester, between them, wore an enormous smile. “Sir Duckington!” she said, as if that explained everything. “He came in first, and that means we won _big_.”

“Well, not _big_ ,” Caleb said, “it is only a bit of g—”

Nott flicked him in the knee, and he sheepishly went silent.

“Let’s go collect our _big_ winnings!” the little goblin said. “This was a great victory, don’t diminish it!”

“Sorry, sorry.”

Beau gave Cad one last apologetic smile. “You sure you’re alright?” she asked. “Sorry again, ‘bout that.”

Caduceus chuckled, and tapped his chin. “Don’t worry about me. Now I’m just proud of your duck for winning.”

“Me too,” Beau grinned, giving him a nod. “And I’m even more proud of my winnings.” She turned around and grabbed her nearest friends—Jester, Yasha, Fjord—by the arms.

“Come on!” she declared, “come on, let’s go, it’s time for that bookie to pony up!”

\--------------------------------------

By the time Caduceus had finally finished his project, the afternoon had fully melted away into dusk and the Nein were making their way back to the main square. The sun hung low over the horizon, and a gentle darkness crept along the edges of a soft and purpling sky.

He raised a hand to the sunset and admired his work. Nott, who was walking the closest to him, noticed this.

“What’ve you got there?” she asked. “Did you buy it off someone?”

“I made it,” Caduceus chuckled, then reached down into his bag. “I actually made quite a few.”

This caught the rest of the group’s attention. Their gazes swiveled towards their tallest friend and they watched as, from within the depths of his pouch, he produced five more garlands of spring flowers.

“These are for all of you,” he said. “Happy, ah…what was today, again?”

Jester squealed, and instantly threw her arms around his waist.

“Happy Renewal Festival to you too!” she cried. “They’re so pretty, oh my gosh, oh my _gosh_ —”

He grinned and lay a wreath over her head. It fit just perfectly between her horns.

Then he waved around the other garlands, and beckoned for his friends to gather in.

“Come on,” he said. “One for each of you.”

“Aw, thanks Cad—"

“Thank you, Caducues—"

“ _Danke_ , Caduceus—"

“Shit, that’s _real_ nice—”

Caduceus beamed. He gave a gentle laugh.

“No prob—”

“Look, look at that!” Jester yelped. They all glanced over immediately, and saw that they had arrived at the village center. Jester was a few feet ahead of them, pointing towards the middle of the plaza where a huge crowd of villagers had linked their arms together. Now they were dancing around as a group, laughing and cheering and stomping their feet as a group of musicians played on under flickering torchlight.

“Come on!” Jester grinned, grabbing a startled Fjord and Beau by the arm. “Come on, let’s join in!” Then she gave a pointed look to the rest, demanding, “Well? Are you coming, or what?”

Caleb raised his hands defensively. “I am not really one for—”

But he was immediately cut off, as Beau reached out and grabbed him by the wrist. “It’s a _party_!” she smirked. “You absolutely _are_.”

Then she gave Yasha the most nervous smile they’d ever seen on her.

“You, ah…you comin’ too?”

There was a pause, filled with warm strings and a banging drum. Then:

Yasha stepped forward. She nodded. Very slowly, she took Beau’s hand.

“Sure,” She said softly. “Okay. Why not?”

Caleb let out a strangled cry as together, they both pulled him into the dancing circle, though the scream did melt into surprised laughter halfway through. And just before they all vanished with the celebration, Jester’s head popped up and she shouted, “Come on, Cad, come on, Nott! It’s time to dance! Come on, come dance!”

Nott and Caduceus exchanged glances. The lanky firbolg gave a nod to the crowd.

“Go on, then,” he said amiably. “I’ll watch Nugget. You have fun.”

Nott looked nervous for just a second, opened her mouth as if to protest. But then, all of a sudden, she seemed to hesitate. Very carefully, she reached up, and felt the crown of flowers on her head.

“Did you know,” she said slowly, “that according to halflings, putting flowers in your hair is good luck? It chases away demons and all sorts of bad spirits. My, ah…my parents actually used to make these for us.” A tiny smile quirked up on her lips. “It’s been a while. I really _did_ miss this sort of thing.”

Caduceus felt a grin spreading across his face.

“Of course,” he said. “You deserve to enjoy yourself, too.”

Nott’s smile grew even wider. She made a small gesture with one of her hands, and they both watched the shimmer of magic creep over her.

In the blink of an eye, the little goblin was gone, replaced with a young halfling woman with brown hair. A crown of crocuses rested on her head.

“See you in a bit,” she said, softly. “And…Caducues?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks.”

He leaned down and gave her pat on the shoulder, then bent down even further to scoop Nugget into his arms.

“Go on, then. Have fun.”

He watched Nott cautiously maneuver towards the crowd, hesitant at first as the outer ring of dancers moved by, but then with a warm, glowing smile, she was instantly recognized by her friends and tugged into the middle of the Nein’s own chain, all of them holding hands and dancing to the music in the torchlight.

Caduceus leaned against the side of a building. He smiled softly to himself.

“Isn’t that nice?” he asked the puppy in his arms. “It’s good to see them all so happy.”

Nugget barked, and the firbolg gave a nod.

“Me too,” he chuckled. “Me too.”

\--------------------------------------

And almost an hour later, when the group was finally tuckered out, they broke away from the thinning crowd with smiles wide across their faces and crowns of flowers in their hair, the moon above slowly making its way through the sky. The brightest stars of spring shone down softly on them all, and the gentle chatter of partygoers going home wove and wound throughout the streets.

Jester reached up, took her flower crown off, and beckoned for Caduceus to let her put it in his hair.

“Thanks for watching my puppy,” she said, next scooping Nugget back up into her arms. “I hope you weren’t lonely, out there.”

“I wasn’t,” Caduceus chuckled. “I like watching these sorts of things from the sides.”

“Next time you should take Sprinkle too,” Caleb said. “A tall man’s elbow nearly squished that weasel.”

Jester stuck her tongue out at him, but in good fun.

And then, together, the Mighty Nein made their way back into the tavern, arm in arm, as the last of the festival’s music faded into the night.

They parted ways in the hallway outside their rooms. Fjord tilted an imaginary hat at the others.

“See you ladies tomorrow,” he said. “Bright and early, don’t forget.”

Beau rolled her eyes. “You’re not the boss of me,” she grunted. But then, rather softly, she added, “Sleep tight.”

Nott prodded Fjord in the hand. He looked down.

“Sorry ‘bout the buttons, earlier,” she said. “Truce?”

Fjord was quiet for a moment, his eyes glimmering with the hallway light.

Then a little corner of tusk poked from his grin.

“Alright, alright,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Truce it is.”

Nott laughed, and handed him a button from one of her pockets.

And then, finally, they all returned to their rooms and fell into an easy rest, exhausted from the day’s festivities, snoring to their heart’s content, preparing themselves for tomorrow’s long journey home.

\--------------------------------------

Caduceus was the first person to venture downstairs the next morning, trailed closely behind by Jester and Beau, with Nugget, tail wagging, at their heels. As he plodded down the wooden steps, stretching his back and cracking his spine, he took a deep breath and let the smell of cooking food—eggs, bacon, the lilting note of berry jam—wind softly around his head.

Sunlight through the windows cast a warm glow into the tavern. He could already hear the sounds of burbling chatter, pattering feet, cheery laughter leaking in from the streets outside.

Today would be a good morning for travel, he thought. It was great that his friends got to have such a lovely time. It was nice that they got to spend yesterday in town t—

“Man, I’m actually pretty stoked for this,” Beau grinned, draping herself over the back of her chair. “I’ve never gotten to celebrate like this before, not without my parents breathing down my neck.”

“Do you think there will be animals?” Jester asked, giving Nugget a pat on the head. “Like baby piglets and fluffy cows and nice goats, and things?”

—oo. Wait, what?

Caduceus paused. He looked up.

“Er…what did you just say?” he asked.

Jester turned towards him and blinked. “Animals?” she tilted her head. “You know, I mean…well, I _know_ that you know what those are.”

 Caduceus raised a slow eyebrow. “I know what animals are,” he agreed, bewildered, “I’ve known a few in my time.”

“Jes’s just wonderin’ if there might be any,” Beau explained kindly. “You know how she is.”

“I really _want_ there to be,” Jester added. “Maybe I could find Nugget some friends!”

“I thought Frumpkin was enough,” said Caleb as he arrived, sliding into the seat at the corner of the table. His hair was a fiery mess, collar askew, a gentle sort of sleep still fuzzy in his eyes. “If they are under threat, we can stage a prison break.”

Caduceus blinked once again. There was a strange feeling at the back of his mind, but Beauregard quickly leaned in and filled the silence.

“We always do weird shit like that,” she said. “We’re like a band of outlaws, not adventurers.”

Jester licked her palm and tried to smooth down Caleb’s hair. “Outlaws or not, you should fix yourself up better! It’s a celebration day!”

“Apologies,” Caleb mumbled drowsily. “At least I do not smell, ja?”

“Any more than usual,” Beau grunted. Then she glanced over her shoulder, and added, “Want me to go check up on food? I want to eat fast, so we can get out there and party.”

Caduceus reached up and rubbed the back of his head. “Get out and…and party?” he repeated slowly.

Jester raised a concerned eyebrow. “Caddy, are you okay?” she asked. “Does your head hurt?”

“Everything alright there?” Beau added.

Caduceus thought about this one for a moment. There were too many thoughts trying to form in his mind, slow as molasses and twice as thick.

“I…nah, it doesn’t hurt,” he eventually managed. “I think…I think I’m just a bit tired, is all.”

“We did have a long day,” Caleb agreed sympathetically. “You all were right, we _should_ relax more.”

Caduceus felt those words sink into his skull. Realization began to dawn.

“I see,” he said softly, but it was instantly drowned out by a sound like metal rain clattering against the ceiling. Then came a furious yell, a terrible _thud_ , maddened stomping, the tap of frantic, skittering claws—

“We’re spending another day in town?” Caduceus asked.

But, unfortunately, nobody paid him any mind. They were too busy watching Nott fly down the steps, following closely behind her was an enraged Fjord.

Beau said, “What the f—”

“What did you do?!” Fjord screamed, coming to a halt just short of their table. “What the—Nott, what the _fuck_?!”

All across his skin, stuck to his face and his arms and legs, even to the tops of his feet, were dozens upon dozens of little round discs. Some were made of metal, and some gleamed with the sun, others were wooden and still more could have been stone, and there was no missing the fact that across Fjord’s entire body, he had been completely, utterly, coated in—

Caduceus shook his head fondly. He reached for his cup. He took a long sip of milk.

“At it again, are you?” he rumbled. “I thought the two of you were in a truce.”

“Hell _no_!” Nott screeched. “Fjord’s a dick! He’s a bastard, and I’m just having some fun!”

“You little _menace_!” Fjord shouted, lunging over Caleb and succeeding in knocking the wizard halfway out his chair. “You…you…you _varmint_! What the—”

And as this happened, privately, in his own little corner of tranquility, Caduceus smiled into his milk. Now that he understood what was happening, everything else made much more sense. He must’ve missed it, yesterday, whenever everyone else had decided to stay another day. They’d probably just had so much fun, he figured, that they couldn’t bear to leave so soon. He watched his friends wreaking havoc around their table, and noted the exasperated expression of the barkeep emerging from the kitchen.

He hoped, at least that they’d relax after the meal. After all, they would need to save their energy for a second day at the festival.

“Your, ah, your half-orc friend,” said Orwen. “Is he…alright?”

“Right as rain! We’re just adjusting his costume.”

“Yeah, I’m a button-monster.”

“Not a monster, more…more a spirit of good humor.”

Caduceus chuckled. Then again, he supposed, some things might never change.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, hey, gang!! Did you miss me? I just remembered today was April Fool's Day, is all, and knew that it would be the PERFECT time to upload a screwy-springtime adventure like this. Maybe one day I’ll come back and write more, but for now it’s a big ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading, and remember that you can always find me [@sockablock](https://www.sockablock.tumblr.com) on tumblr!
> 
> <3333


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